


Chocolate and Raspberries

by NeutronStarChild



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Ice Cream Parlors, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:02:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29677416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeutronStarChild/pseuds/NeutronStarChild
Summary: Dog Days Ice Cream Shoppe was an institution in Inuyasha’s little neighborhood. It wasn’t just the shop that he’d inherited from his mother, it was also his uncanny ability to guess anyone’s favorite ice cream when they came into his shop. But when two new faces arrive (a brother and a sister), whispering about being able to afford kid scoops, Inuyasha realizes, much to his horror that he cannot guess the woman’s favorite. Little does he know that this woman, Kagome Higurashi is going to changehislife as much as he is about to change hers.Features remarkable birthday art (seriously how do I deserve you?!?!) fromMamaBearCatandkalcia
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 76
Kudos: 95
Collections: Divergent Adventures of Inuyasha





	1. Dog Days Ice Cream Shoppe

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by [Fawn_Eyed_Girl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fawn_Eyed_Girl) and [Ruddcatha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruddcatha)

“Butter pecan,” Inuyasha whispered out of the back, to his red-headed assistant.

Old ladies were second only to children as his favorites to decipher, because they varied so wildly. The most buttoned-up ladies could want the rum raisin with enough rum to burn the blood, or a berry blaster madness with coloring to turn the tongue blue, and the one with the neon pink hair and not a care in the world would love a single scoop of plain old vanilla. And then their eyes would light up, and they’d have a little moment of private joy. Inuyasha fucking _loved_ giving that moment to people, which is why he would never give up his shoppe.

‘Dog Days Ice Cream Shoppe’ was an institution in his neighborhood, and had been for over 100 years. He could barely remember a time that he _wasn’t_ behind the counter, standing next to his mother. He never knew how she got the money to buy the storefront after his father had died. He couldn’t remember Izayoi _ever_ looking defeated from her long days serving the neighborhood or her long nights churning the next day’s flavor— _exhausted_ , sure. And the trickle of curious patrons became a stream, and soon, Dog Days became a defining beacon of their little Baltimore enclave.

When his mother died, Inuyasha had tried to leave. Tried to take the MBA that he’d earned and join his older half-brother in business, but… he couldn’t. Not when there were still children who didn’t know their favorite flavor. Not when there were little old ladies who just _needed_ their banana split after they caught the Saturday matinee in the arthouse movie theater down the street. Not when… not when the little ice cream shoppe could tamp down on the aching loneliness that crept into his heart when he thought about the last day with his mother. And when he thought about all the unsure looks he was shot before whispers of _half-demon_ crossed people’s lips, unaware that his dog ears could hear them.

Dog Days Ice Cream Shoppe was his safe harbor. Of _course_ customers knew the half-demon! Many of his demon customers (yes, he had those too!) remembered him at his mother’s side as she scooped out their favorites. Inuyasha, Izayoi’s son. The half-demon ice cream shoppe owner who always guessed your flavor right.

He’d _never_ give that up.

So he put his MBA to work. Never to expand, but instead to sustain. He charged the lowest price he could without worrying about the shop’s nest egg. He paid his employees (even the temps) a living wage and made sure that they had access to company health insurance. And any time someone came in and couldn’t pay for a scoop, he gave them one anyway.

It’s what his mother did as best she could.  
And it was the thing that he realized he most wanted to do with that education, that “ _squandered potential_ ,” as Assholemaru had put it.

Inuyasha poked his head out of the back room to watch one of his regulars, a little old lady named “Kaede” that wore an eyepatch but carried her cane like a weapon, take her first bite of the butter pecan, then gift him that private joy he fucking _loved_.

“I see your ears, Inuyasha,” Kaede called back at him: _busted_. “I may have one eye, but I have all my brain cells. And this butter pecan batch is better than the last!”

“Keh,” Inuyasha scoffed. “Don’t you go dyin’ on me before next week, old hag. Because I’m gonna be adding _rum_ to that butter pecan of yours.”

“Oh, I won’t die before I get ya back for callin’ me ‘hag’!” Kaede shook her cane mock-threateningly over her head. “I still owe you a good caning, dog boy.”

“See you next week, Miss Kaede!” the red-headed cashier, a fox demon named Shippō, said cheerily, paying no mind to the fact that one of Inuyasha’s customers had just threatened physical violence.

“Keep that dog in line Shippō,” Kaede chuckled, then turned and waddled deftly out of the shoppe, butter pecan single scoop in a waffle cone in one hand, her cane in the other.

“At some point she is gonna make good on that promise of a caning,” Shippō drawled, closing the cash register drawer.

“And I will give her shit while she brings the cane down on my head,” Inuyasha barked back, a little smile on his face.

_Kagome, this is dumb. I don’t need anything.  
__Sure you do! It’s not every day that we get to celebrate your conquest of math!  
__Whatever. It was a dumb A on a dumb test.  
_Inuyasha’s ears pricked as he heard two voices—one feminine and one masculine—coming closer. Unfamiliar voices. The feminine voice sounded like music.

Inuyasha dashed out of the back, bumping Shippō out of the way.  
Were the owners of the voices coming into his shop?  
He wanted to be the first to see them, the first to smell them, and the first to tell them their favorite flavors.

[ ](https://mamabearcat.tumblr.com/post/643848229823332352/at-the-end-january-i-was-struggling-with-a-hard)

Birthday artwork from [MamaBearCat](https://mamabearcat.tumblr.com)

* * *

Shippō had barely had time to yelp before the two figures appeared at the far end of the shop’s windows. They weren’t speaking anymore, but somehow Inuyasha _knew_ that this was the pair. They were the same height. The boy had neatly cut hair and was wearing navy blue slacks and a periwinkle polo shirt. He had a backpack slung on his back and looked to be in his early teens. The girl—no, _woman_ —who was walking with him well… _fuck_.

She had long wavy black hair that was reflecting the sunlight like a black onyx jewel. Her lips were full and pink, and her apple cheeks were high and prominent on her heart-shaped face. Her nose was small and cute… like a flesh-colored button sewn lovingly onto a favorite doll. But her figure was definitely _not that_ of a doll. Her round breasts stuck out enough that even as she tried to hide them underneath an oversized sweater, it was impossible. And although she wore a pair of baggy jeans, her ass also stood out, like an overripe piece of fruit on her Botticelli body. Inuyasha had to swallow down the rumble that wanted to escape him when the two turned and headed through the doorway of his shop.

“Kagome… it’s _fine_. It was one test.” The boy’s whisper was so quiet it was clear he did not intend for anyone to hear it.

“And you did so well on it Sōta!” The woman, _Kagome_ , whispered back. “We can… we can afford a scoop for you. Because _you deserve it_.”

“Th-think they’ll let us get two kid-sized scoops?” Sōta asked. “I… I don’t wanna get some if you can’t get any.”

“Chocolate peanut butter,” Inuyasha spoke to interrupt, but not give away that he heard every word of their heart-wrenching conversation. A conversation he’d heard a hundred times in his long life. A conversation that… made him want to know this Sōta and _Kagome_ more.

“Excuse me?” The woman, _Kagome_ , spoke. Her eyes were like shimmering brown opals, and she smelled of chocolate and raspberries.

“The kid there.” Inuyasha pointed casually to Sōta. “That’s his favorite.” Sōta’s eyes grew wide and a little smile curled his lips. “I’m right, ain’t I kid?”

Inuyasha walked over to the glass case and scooped a bit (okay, more than a bit) of the chocolate peanut butter onto a tasting spoon, then handed it to Sōta.

“Try it. I have a knack for guessing favorites,” Inuyasha smiled.

Sōta’s answering grin told Inuyasha all he needed to know. Sōta, he knew, had just found his favorite flavor.

“C-can we get a kid-sized of that?” Kagome asked, reaching into a change purse.

“First…” Inuyasha winked, “Let me take a guess _your_ favorite.”

It usually came so easily. Inuyasha took a little sniff, and closed his eyes. He let their scents mingle with his mind, and he channeled his mother and just… _knew_. Sōta was shy and withdrawn but playful underneath, and his scents were earthy. He was one who needed something rich and comforting. Chocolate was the staple, and peanut butter, because it could remind him of being taken care of.

Kagome… a woman he’d barely known a minute, yet somehow he’d been waiting forever to meet… was… not as easy. He couldn’t close his eyes and see her flavor, because when he closed his eyes, all he saw was _her_. She wasn’t telling him what would give her that private smile.

She was the first person he’d _ever_ met that he couldn’t figure out.

“Peaches and cream,” Inuyasha guessed. But that was the thing: it was a _guess_.

“Oh! Yes, I would be happy to try it,” Kagome answered gently, politely.

Peaches and cream was not her favorite flavor.

Inuyasha scraped some of the ice cream onto the spoon anyway, and held it out for her to sample.

Kagome ate it, and he watched as her eyes closed and she let her whole mouth experience the flavor.

“I’ll… I’ll take a kid-sized of this one, too,” she said as she slowly opened her eyes back up, and they twinkled.

Inuyasha nodded and grabbed two adult-sized cups. He scooped as fast as he could, then handed them both their ice creams.

“On the house,” Inuyasha declared, pleased to watch Sōta’s eyes grow wide and his lips curl up into a smile.

“I’m sorry, but I insist on paying,” Kagome interrupted, her voice wooden. Then Inuyasha watched her hand tremble as she opened her wallet to count out the bills for the adult-sized.

Shit. He hadn’t considered that—that his offer had been taken as pity. He’d just given them charity, and Kagome didn’t look to be someone who wanted charity.

“W-wait… please,” Inuyasha whined; _shit, he’d just **whined**?_ “I… I’ve never _not_ been able to guess a favorite flavor before. So… consider these my little way of thanking you for being a puzzle.”

“Then… then let me pay for the kid-sizes,” Kagome murmured. “It was a treat. For Sōta.”

“For Sōta, huh?” Inuyasha answered, and although he knew the answer, he asked anyway. “What are you celebrating?”

“Ugh. Kagome is being _dumb_ and bringing me here because I got an A on a math test,” Sōta grumbled through a mouth full of ice cream. The boy had managed to polish off over half the bowl already.

“An A on a math test is a big fucking deal,” Inuyasha grinned, in part at the shock of the two hearing his swear words. “You should listen to Kagome.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Sōta said, but Inuyasha didn’t miss the small secret smile that came to his face.

“Here.” Kagome pressed $3.50 worth of coins into Inuyasha’s hand, the price of two kid-sized scoops; was tingling at the place where Kagome’s skin met his normal? “Thank you. For the extra little treat. The peaches and cream was divine.”

“But not your favorite,” Inuyasha sighed.

“Not my favorite,” Kagome answered, but finally— _finally_ , her lips curled into the whisper of a smile.

“Then… I look forward to you coming back, so I can try again, _Kagome_ ,” Inuyasha said, trying to ignore the little butterflies in his heart. “And come by anytime you kick ass in school, _Sōta_.”

Kagome didn’t say anything, but in her eyes, Inuyasha saw a twinkle, and he could smell the faintest waft of salt, from a tear that Kagome didn’t want to shed.

“Thank you,” Kagome said, and she and Sōta left Dog Days Ice Cream Shoppe, with a bowl of chocolate peanut butter and a bowl of peaches and cream.

“I’ve never seen you guess wrong before, dog,” the wry voice of Shippō called from the back. “No _wonder_ you shoved yourself to the front of the house.”

“Shut the fuck up, _runt_ ,” Inuyasha barked. “Before I put you on toilet duty.”

“I already _am_ on toilet duty!” Shippō snarled, and the two changed places once more.

Inuyasha didn’t immediately return to the ice cream machines, to the new flavors he was preparing, because he couldn’t stop thinking about Kagome: the woman he couldn’t figure out the flavor of, the woman who smelled of chocolate and raspberries.


	2. A Second Scoop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The image at the top is actually the one that egged me on to write this. It was a sketch that [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com%22) did when I told her about my ice cream dream, and... well...
> 
> The rest is history!  
>  _Thank youuuuu_ for coloring this for me dearest! You are truly a gift.

[ ](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/post/644653954953773056/one-of-those-playing-around-with-diffirent)

Gift Artwork by [the ethereal kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com)

* * *

It was stupid just how often Inuyasha looked up and hoped. Every flash of black hair, he was staring out the window. Every periwinkle shirt, another furtive glance. But it had been two weeks and Kagome and Sōta had not returned.

The runt had become insufferable over it.

But that was the thing: he almost didn’t care about Shippō’s teases. Dog Days gave a scoop of ice cream to _every kid_ who came through their door, because kids deserved a little moment in their lives to be kids, even if the rest of the world seemed hellbent on making them grow up too fast, a world that would have them whispering and whimpering over the difference between $3.50 and $8.00.

That had to be it. It was not just Kagome’s beauty (but _fuck_ had his fantasies been… _colorful_ as of late…); it had been the way that Sōta had tried to persuade her away from ice cream. The way that she’d insisted that he have that moment to get to be a fucking kid proud of his accomplishments. A kid who got a reward for doing well in math—something that nearly every other kid who walked into his shop got.

“You’re thinking about her again, aren’t you?” Fucking runt never knew when to keep his mouth shut. But then Shippō pointed at the overflowing sorbet.

“Fuck!” Inuyasha launched himself at the machine, throwing a cover over the strawberry lemonade flavored ice and hitting the big red STOP button. Inuyasha wasn’t sure if he was more pissed off about getting busted, or about making the mess. At Shippō’s giant smirk, Inuyasha held up one clawed hand: “Another word outta you and I will boot your ass out onto the street.”

Shippō stopped whatever he was going to say, but he never lost that goddamned shit-eating grin. Which got even bigger as he came into the back to help Inuyasha clean up the splattered sorbet.

What the hell was Inuyasha supposed to say? That never in his life had someone dug into his soul in such a short amount of time? That it was _destroying him_ that she hadn’t given him a second chance to guess? He would have given her all the free ice cream she could eat if he got to keep trying to solve the mystery.

Then, a familiar scent hit his nose as the bell above the shop’s door jingled. Inuyasha might’ve dived out of the back toward the counter when he smelt it.

“Hey is… is the owner here?” Sōta asked politely, dressed in his periwinkle polo shirt and his navy slacks.

“That’d be me.” Inuyasha popped up behind the counter. He managed to mask the disappointment that attempted to appear on his face upon seeing that Sōta was alone.

“I… want a job.” The bridge of Sōta’s nose turned a little pink as he asked, and he avoided eye contact.

“How old are ya, kid?” Inuyasha asked; goddamn if he wasn’t already considering it.

“14,” Sōta answered, and lifted his head to look into Inuyasha’s eyes. “I looked up the laws here and know that I can work, and… I want to.”

“Why?” Inuyasha probed, but not before he scooped some chocolate peanut butter into a cup. “Have a seat. We can consider this your interview.”

Sōta looked down at the ice cream, then back up at Inuyasha. With a little shrug, he accepted the scoop, and they walked over to one of the tables in the nearly-empty shop (high school had only just let out).

“Because… I want to start doing my part,” Sōta answered, scooping some of the ice cream into his mouth. “Sis deserves to take a break sometimes.”

Inuyasha should not have been so interested in the fact that Kagome was Sōta’s _sister_.

“Aren’t you doin’ your part? Gettin’ good grades?” Inuyasha asked, remembering the conversation he’d overheard.

“Yeah… I’m doing fine. And Kagome tells me that that is all I need to do, but… I know Country Day’s tuition isn’t cheap,” Sōta murmured, staring into his mostly-eaten ice cream. “When mom and dad died… well… she left school to come and be my guardian. I figured she’d be my dumb older sister again, who always locked herself in her room and babysat me by watching bad reality tv but…” Sōta’s voice grew even smaller. “She isn’t that. She makes me do my homework— _helps_ me do my homework. And she didn’t let me quit private school. She pretends like she isn’t tired, but she _is_. And… if I can help just a little, I want to.”

Inuyasha saw that Sōta’s eyes had found his ears, which were drooping. Fucking hell, if he had known _half_ that stuff the first time they both walked into his shop, he would have sent them both home with several _gallons_ of ice cream.

“So, how are you gonna make sure you keep those grades up?” Inuyasha asked; he had a suspicion that the high grades were part of whatever scholarship Sōta was maintaining to be able to afford a high-end school like Country Day.

“Duh—a job is just like any other extracurricular.” Sōta rolled his eyes. “It’s not like people are constantly asking someone if they can make time for baseball practice or whatever. I just… would work and keep studying instead of playing baseball and studying.”

Inuyasha was beginning to wonder if the kid had rehearsed this before coming in.

“Then tell me your plan.” Inuyasha folded his arms across his body, and studied the stern-faced kid in front of him. “How are you gonna keep up your studying, work for me _reliably_ , and still get some time to do the shit kids do.”

Sōta flinched at Inuyasha’s use of the swear word, but he’d gotten his point across.

“I’ll work Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays… those are probably your busiest days anyway,” Sōta answered. “That leaves weeknights and Sunday night for homework, and I can do the _shit_ kids do on the odd holiday from school. Plus, it’s what… two months until summer break? If my grades start to slip _at all_ , then…” Sōta swallowed, then nodded, determined to keep going, “then I’ll ask if I can take a—uh leave of absence.”

Fucking kid really _had_ done his homework… on working.

“So I hire you on a _trial basis_ —” Inuyasha didn’t want to admit how much he was liking the idea, “—only three days a week, and I am putting you on _3 hour shifts with a break in the middle_ , since that’s what the state of Maryland lets ya do anyway. _But_ … there are additional conditions.” The way Sōta’s eyes lit up made Inuyasha wonder if he’d thought Inuyasha would say no ( _shit,_ Inuyasha probably _should_ be saying no…). “One. You keep doing whatever-the-fuck it is you do for fun. Chase Pokemon? You better keep doin’ it. Play soccer? I better see you kickin’ a ball. Murder-y video games? Well… you better keep doin’ that too.” Sōta looked practically beside himself. “Second. 14-year olds need _guardian approval_ for their job, so we ain’t doin’ _anything_ until I talk to your guardian. Which is Kagome, right?”

The way Sōta’s shoulders slumped told Inuyasha two things: the first was that Sōta had _not_ run the whole ‘getting a job thing’ by his guardian, and the second was that Kagome almost _certainly was_ his guardian. Fuck, he wanted to give Sōta a job. He wanted to see Kagome smile without her eyes fixing sadly on the prices of his ice cream. He wanted to give them both moments where they forgot that they were a brother and a sister living without their parents.. He… _fuck…_ he wanted to take care of them.

“She is,” Sōta finally answered, looking down at his now empty ice cream cup. “I… I didn’t tell her I was coming in and… asking.”

“I got that,” Inuyasha chuckled. “Tell you what. I’m gonna get some of the paperwork together to figure out how the hell to hire you. You can sit there and do homework—wifi password is ‘Inuyasha.’” 

Jesus, he really was doing this. He was potentially hiring a 14-year old kid because he overheard shit about their lives. Because… he couldn’t figure out Kagome’s favorite ice cream flavor.

As the afternoon sun waned and night started to creep in, Sōta sat at the corner table, _Catcher in the Rye_ in one hand, and a pen and notebook in the other hand. When there were breaks in customers, he and Shippō would make smalltalk, but mostly, Sōta kept to himself, as if he were trying to prove he could work and keep up his grades, so Inuyasha would not go back on his offer. It was… well dammit, it was endearing. He already liked the kid.

When night fell and the rush of customers turned back into a trickle, Inuyasha finally had time to duck into the back room and print out the work permit application. Paperwork in his hand, Inuyasha headed back over to Sōta, who had switched to science.

“Here, kid.” Inuyasha handed Sōta the papers. “Talk to Kagome and bring ‘em back with y—”

“Could you… come with me?” Sōta broke in before Inuyasha could finish the sentence. “Uh. To explain.”

“T-t-to your house?” Inuyasha knew it was a trap—he _knew this_ —but… seeing Kagome… why was his heart beating out of his chest?

“Yeah. United front,” Sōta explained. “I promise her I will keep up my grades, and do my homework… and that… you’re watching out for that stuff too.”

“Go on, Inuyasha!” Shippō called. “It’s slow and I can close up the shop.”

Fucking fox was _enabling_ this madness. This… seeing Kagome again madness. This… seeing where Kagome who occupied nearly all his idle thoughts lived madness.

“Fine,” Inuyasha grumbled (like he was ever going to refuse…). “But fox, this place better be _clean_ and _closed_ when I get back.”

“You got it.” Shippō had the gall to _wink_.

“Awesome! I’ll—uh. Let Kagome know.” Sōta typed something out onto his phone then put it back into his pocket. “And… th—thanks.”

“I didn’t do anything yet, kid…” Inuyasha said, grabbing his jacket and his messenger bag. “We still… gotta get your guardian to agree.”

“Well…” Sōta spoke quietly as the little bell signalled their exit onto the dark street. “You still… you listened.” Then his voice got even quieter. “You… you didn’t laugh in my face.”

Inuyasha almost reached out and ruffled Sōta’s hair, but thought better of it. He remembered the mockery his mother suffered while she was trying to get Dog Days up and running. He remembered the nights where Izayoi had fed him but not herself, because she wouldn’t give up on her dream. He remembered when he refused to eat, going hungry so his mother could have something that night. And now, he wondered if Sōta and Kagome went through some of the same things.

Things he could—no, things he _wanted to_ —help with.

“We’re only a couple blocks from here,” Sōta said, a nervous grin across his face. “Kagome had a long day today. Mukotsu is her least favorite client.”

“W—what does your sister do?” Inuyasha inquired; the word ‘client’ creeped him out. And whoever ‘Mukotsu’ was, Inuyasha hated him.

“She cleans houses,” Sōta answered. “She says the pay is pretty okay, and when she started building a clientbase, it got easier…” Sōta abruptly stopped talking, then sighed. “She left college… to clean houses. She was studying sociology…” Sōta then looked up at Inuyasha. “I want her to study sociology again. And well… you’re not a weirdo, so… I thought I’d give it a shot. Asking you for a job.”

Inuyasha had never felt so honored to be called _not a weirdo_. Because Sōta’s words had nothing to do with him being half-demon. They had nothing to do with being afraid of demons. They were… about _him_. As a person.

At this, Inuyasha did reach out to Sōta, and clapped him on the shoulder.

“You’re a good kid Sōta,” Inuyasha rasped. “Though… if Kagome says no, I am not gonna hire you.”

“I know,” Sōta answered. “But… I think she’s gonna say yes.”

Inuyasha looked down and saw an unmistakably mischievous grin on Sōta’s face. For some reason, the grin made Inuyasha’s face get a little hot.

Before he knew it, he and Sōta were in front of a small brick row house with an emerald green door. Even through the brick and mortar, there it was, _chocolate and raspberries_. Kagome’s scent.

Sōta unlocked the lock and opened the door, gesturing for Inuyasha to head in before him. The room he came into was stark, but very clean. It had handsome wood floors and a brown upholstered couch sitting on a tartan rug, facing the corner. There was a small television on a shelved TV stand, and a Nintendo GameCube packed neatly into one of the shelves. In the back of the room, Inuyasha could hear rustling from what looked to be a kitchen, and along with chocolate and raspberry, Inuyasha could smell something else: soup, _chicken_ soup.

“You’re back!” Kagome’s musical voice called from the kitchen, but when her face popped out of the room, her eyes grew wide and she grew pale.

It appeared that Sōta had left out a very important detail as he’d brought Inuyasha home, and that was that Kagome had no idea he was coming.


	3. Double Surprise

“Hey Sis!” Sōta exclaimed, trying to cover his ‘surprise’ with cheeriness. “Uh. Inuyasha is here, too.”

“It—it’s okay, I didn’t mean to intrude! I—I’ll get going…” Inuyasha had halfway backed out the door before Sōta’s hand was on his sleeve.

“No Inuyasha, please… stay,” Sōta begged, ignoring Inuyasha’s tugging to get himself away. “He’s—he’s here because I asked him.”

“I _see_.” Kagome’s eyes narrowed so much Inuyasha wanted to hide; she was scrutinizing him, trying to understand why he was on their doorstep with her little brother.

“I asked him to give me a job,” Sōta said seriously, finally giving up the false cheeriness. “And… he said yes. But only if you sign the work permit.”

“Kid—this was a bad idea.” Inuyasha finally freed his sleeve. “I—I’m sorry Kagome, I really didn’t mean to—“

“No!” Sōta’s voice took on an edge of desperation. “I—I’m sorry I sprung this on you, but everything I said today was true. It doesn’t change just because I didn’t tell Kagome you were coming.”

“Sōta…” Kagome’s voice trembled so audibly that Inuyasha wouldn’t have needed his half-demon hearing to detect it; why did he want to take her hand and comfort her? “I _told you_ , please stop. I’m fine. And you keeping up your grades is—“

“You’re _not fine,_ sis.” Sōta’s voice trembled now, too. “Every day I watch you come home from those awful people’s houses exhausted. I _know_ that they work you to the bone and you just… you’re doing it for me. Let _me_ make a decision too.” Sōta took a deep breath and continued. “Inuyasha wouldn’t let me work more than three hours a day, and I would keep my grades up… At least then you could drop that stupid Mukotsu’s house and maybe… over the summer… you could take a class.”

“That is _not for you to decide_!” Kagome shrieked; Inuyasha could smell the waves of panic and exhaustion coming off of her— _gods_ all he wanted to do was run to her and hold her in his arms; he stood stock still instead. “I am your _guardian,_ Sōta. I want you to have the chance to do whatever you want! You need to go to college and stay in school and do the stuff kids do—”

“Like watch you come home each night and toss yourself on the couch?” Sōta countered, his breathing rapid. “Because you’re so tired you can barely stand?”

“ _Yes_!” Kagome shouted, and Inuyasha could finally smell the tears that she could no longer suppress. “Because that is what mom and dad would have wanted for you!”

“ _No_!” Sōta bellowed, the salt of his coming tears also now assaulting Inuyasha’s nose. “I’m not asking to drop out of school. I’m not even asking to go to public school anymore. I—I’m asking if I can do my part. Because—because I’m old enough now to do my part. And…” Sōta turned and pointed at Inuyasha. “ _He_ would hire me and make sure I did my homework and didn’t overwork myself.”

Inuyasha wanted to sink into a hole from the scathing look Kagome leveled at him. But, he wanted to help more. To care for them more. To _protect them_ … more.

“Is that so?” Kagome’s eyes narrowed and the scent of salt began to subside. “You just _happened_ to be hiring when my _14-year old brother walked in for a job_?”

Inuyasha was not sure he liked the insinuation he thought Kagome was implying.

“ _Hey_. Your brother came to _me_ because he wants to help you out,” Inuyasha growled. “He told me about your parents and talked about your droppin’ outta college to take care of him.” Kagome flinched at his words, and Inuyasha knew he probably shouldn’t have said anything. But it sounded so much like his mother’s story, that he _didn’t_ shut up. “We lost my dad real young, too. And… I know it’s not the same, but I remember how my mom worked herself to the bone to keep afloat. And if there was _anything_ I coulda done to make it easier on her, I _would have in a second_.” Inuyasha sighed. He remembered the nights Izayoi could barely make it to her room before she collapsed. “I’m not gonna let the kid work himself to the bone, and I sure as shit won’t let him start slacking off in school _or_ at work. You have my word on that.”

Unfortunately, at Inuyasha’s words, Kagome… _deflated_ , as if she’d spent every last fume of her reserved energy on the fight with Sōta and Inuyasha. But before her knees hit the ground, Inuyasha was there, holding her up.

Kagome’s chocolate and raspberry scent was laced with the bitterness of exhaustion, and up-close, Inuyasha saw the bags under her sparkling chocolate eyes, the way her shiny black hair was frayed from lack of sleep, and the callouses that adorned her hands.

Sōta was not far behind Inuyasha, having launched himself at Kagome and enveloped her in a hug. And for some moments, they all just sat there, Inuyasha holding Kagome’s hands to steady her and Sōta wrapping his arms around his sister’s neck. Inuyasha could feel Kagome’s breathing, and he knew that the dam was close to breaking.

“Sis. I’m old enough to make a decision like this. Because… I _want_ to help,” Sōta whispered. “Just… _trust me_ , okay?”

The wave of Kagome’s new-found tears hit Inuyasha before he knew what was happening. Exhausted tears surged through Kagome’s body and poured out of her, uncontrollable. As if she’d been holding them in for so long that once they escaped, there was no stopping them. On instinct, and against his better judgment, Inuyasha pulled Kagome in tight to his body. It was his fucking fault she’s broken down just then, so the least he could do was comfort her as best he could.

Him, a fucking stranger who ran an ice cream shop. Who couldn’t guess her favorite flavor and seemingly had injected himself into her kid brother’s life. But… he couldn’t help it. It was beyond that time that he saw Kaede with a limp and refused to let her carry her groceries herself (she threatened _seven_ canings for that— _eight_ if he pressed his luck any further). It was… it was a plea from his soul to comfort Kagome. And _fuck_ if Kagome didn’t also lean into his touch.

“I _promise_ that I am gonna take care of Sōta,” Inuyasha whispered, “just like you do. And I am gonna keep on him about his schoolwork, just like you do. And I am gonna be sure the kid _has fun_ and _gets to be a kid_ , **_just like you do_**.”

Kagome steadied her breathing, slowly regaining her composure. Finally, she looked into Inuyasha’s eyes, and even as the desperate helplessness still lingered in her eyes, a spark of something else began to overtake it. As soon as she’d wiped the tears from her eyes and swallowed down the rest of the bile, Kagome gently pushed away from Inuyasha’s arms.

“Inuyasha, would you like to stay for dinner?” Kagome asked, her voice only wavering slightly.

 _Shit_. The truth was Inuyasha really did want to stay for dinner, but there was a problem. Now that he understood everything so much better, he knew that if he stayed and ate, there would be less food for Kagome and Sōta. Food, he imagined, they were budgeting.

“I… have leftovers that are gonna go bad at my place if I don’t eat ‘em,” Inuyasha lied. “But… I’d be glad to stay. Especially if you have some tea?”

They would never buy the lie. Never buy that Inuyasha was more interested in _tea_ than in beer or wine or coffee. But tea was cheap, and boiling water was cheap. And he wanted to stay without drawing attention to all of those facts.

“You _sure_?” Kagome probed him, and he could tell that she’d read his excuse for the lie that it was.

“Trust me,” Inuyasha answered, smiling slightly, _reassuringly_. “Anyway. Half-demon appetites would eat you outta house and home.”

 _That_ part was not a lie. He was planning on ordering two pizzas _for himself_ that night. Kagome’s (albeit amazing-smelling) chicken soup would have been no more than an amuse bouche for him. And for the first time since he’d walked through the door, Inuyasha saw Kagome smile, then _chortle_. It sounded like the tinkling of little bells. Inuyasha could feel heat come to his ears, his mind wandering toward how to make her produce that little laugh as often as possible.

“Well, I have jasmine and I have some oolong,” Kagome answered, as her shoulders relaxed.

“I never say no to jasmine,” Inuyasha said, trying to keep a goofy smile from crossing _his_ face (he failed).

“Let me go start the kettle,” Kagome said, and she pushed herself up and headed into the kitchen.

Inuyasha rounded on Sōta, who was now standing next to him.

“Why the _hell_ did you pretend to text her?” Inuyasha rasped, but he kept the growl out of his voice.

“Because… if I told her you were coming she would’ve said _no_ ,” Sōta whispered back. “And you would have, too.”

“So you figured _surprisin’_ us both was the smarter thing to do?” Inuyasha challenged.

“It worked, didn’t it?” The shit-eating grin on Sōta’s face made it clear that the question was rhetorical.

He’d gotten played by the kid, and so had Kagome.

Inuyasha could do no more than groan. He liked Sōta before, and he liked Sōta even more after that damn stunt. Kid had spunk. Though the thought of letting Sōta and Shippō interact terrified him.

“I’m gonna go help Kagome,” Sōta whispered, and loped into the kitchen after his sister.

As Inuyasha stood, he caught little snippets of conversation.

_“...Surprised me with this?! Sōta, you could’ve asked!..”  
“...My decision. I wanted to help. And… Inuyasha’s not a weirdo…”  
“...Why do you need to do this?..”  
“..Because I want to help, too. I want to… help.”_

Kagome then reappeared from the kitchen, holding an oversized mug with a vintage smiley face on it and handed it to Inuyasha. Even though it was nothing more than dried leaves steeped in boiling water, its aroma flirted with his nose and drew him in: jasmine, chocolate and raspberries—as if Kagome had infused her own scent into the tea.

“Tell me about this _job_ ,” Kagome said, handing Inuyasha the ceramic mug that warmed his hands.

“He’ll be on the register mostly; also cleanin’ up and helpin’ me sort ingredients,” Inuyasha shrugged. “I mostly focused on makin’ sure it was legal to hire him.”

“It _is_ legal!” Sōta whined, holding two oversized mugs full of chicken soup.

“Only with a _guardian’s permission_ ,” Kagome grumbled, taking the mug from Sōta’s hand. “And… that permission comes with some assurances.”

Sōta’s smile was the exact same impish grin he’d previously shared with Inuyasha. And from the frown that appeared on Kagome’s face, Inuyasha _knew_ that it was a grin she’d seen before.

“You _will_ keep your grades up. And I get to check them.” Kagome tapped her index finger against the lip of her mug. “And I expect you to get enough sleep. And _no slacking off at work_! Just because Inuyasha is kind enough to give you a job does not mean you get to take further advantage of that kindness!”

“Keh!” Inuyasha interjected, “If Sota works for me, he is gonna _work_. Kid—you’re gonna be cleaning toilets. You okay with that?”

“Hell yes!” Sōta said, his voice muffled from the enormous spoonful of soup he’d just consumed. “Whatever you need. I want to earn my keep.”

“Sōta, maybe you should go upstairs and eat. Inuyasha and I need to talk,” Kagome said softly.

“K,” Sōta answered, the damn grin still on his face, and bounced up the stairs.

The moment that Sōta was out of sight, Kagome slumped down again. Inuyasha made to catch her, but she stopped herself before she slid to the floor, her mug of soup still steady in her hands.

“Why did he have to do this…” Kagome murmured, as much to herself as to Inuyasha.

“Because he doesn’t like seein’ you like this,'' Inuyasha answered; he understood Sōta perfectly. “Sōta didn’t like seeing you give him everything when he didn’t think he was doing enough to help.” Inuyasha finally stretched his hand out to grab Kagome’s, and ushered them both over to the threadbare couch in the corner. “I started working near the moment that I was tall enough to see over the counter. And my ma never said it, but I could tell from her scent that me doin’ those extra little bits meant she was less exhausted at the end of the day. It felt so _good_ to see her wake up in the morning looking refreshed instead of drugged, or to watch that contented little smile come to her face at night before she went to sleep.”

“So this is charity?” Kagome’s eyes narrowed; she was still trying to find his trick.

“Payin’ your kid brother to scrub the toilets of an ice cream parlor?” Inuyasha huffed. “That doesn’t feel too _charitable_.”

“But… were you even hiring?” Kagome asked, though her face had softened.

“I’m _always_ lookin’ for someone with the moxie your kid brother walked into my shop with today.'' Inuyasha couldn’t stifle the chuckle that came out of him. “And it’d mean he wouldn’t be a pain in the ass to train for the summer season.”

Kagome looked down at her cup of soup, a sliver of a smile coming to her face.

“Sōta always was like that. He wants to play soccer? He marches right up the coach to ask. Disagrees with a grade? He will debate the teacher.” Kagome sighed. “I’m glad that he didn’t lose that when our parents died.”

“I’m so fuckin’ sorry about that, Kagome,” Inuyasha said, and he bumped his shoulder into hers gently. “That is way too young to lose both of ‘em.”

“When did you lose your parents?” Kagome asked, leaning so she kept in contact with Inuyasha’s shoulder (shit, he _really liked the way that felt_ ).

“Long time ago,” Inuyasha answered. “Dad died before I really could remember him. And mom died of old age at least. About 30 years ago.”

“Oh.”

Inuyasha knew that ‘oh’. It was the ‘oh’ of someone who’d never really pondered the life-span of a half-demon. Usually that reaction was tied to a quick exit or an awkward silence, a little reminder that people were _still_ not quite comfortable with the integration of demons and humans. His mom dealt with it a lot: the blistering glances down at him at the shop then back up at Izayoi. He _hated_ those glances, and he _hated_ that “oh.”

Then Kagome did something entirely unexpected: she threw her free arm around him then leaned her head on his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, Inuyasha.” She nuzzled into his shoulder so intently that he knew her scent would linger there overnight. “It must’ve been _so hard_ to have to watch your mother… well…”

“Y—yeah…” Inuyasha had to actively resist resting his head on Kagome’s. “But I got a nice long life with her. And every day in that shop, I see her. In the trick to her salted caramel, or the special way she cut up fruit to go best in the ice cream.”

Inuyasha knew that if his dad had lived, he would have had a _much_ longer time with his mother. It was something he sometimes thought about— _dreamed_ about. How different his life would have been with both his mom and dad. Was that why seeing Sōta and Kagome had touched him so deeply? Because he could see the loneliness of someone who lost a parent too early?

No. That wasn’t _wholly_ it.  
In Sōta, he could see Shippō, who his mom hired 50 years earlier when they found out the fox’s parents had been killed, and he could also see _himself_. And then there was Kagome. Her scent called to him. Her touch set his heart aflame, leaving little scorchmarks that he would never recover from. The whispers of encouragement to her brother, the tired circles under her eyes from making sure she was caring for Sōta as well as she could, _everything._ He wanted to _protect_ her. He wanted to _make her smile_. He… he wanted to figure out her flavor and make her the best ice cream she’d ever eaten.

Inuyasha knew what it meant. Knew what his instincts were telling him about Kagome. But… not yet. Not in a moment he barely knew her. Right now, he could get to know her. Right now, he would settle for helping her out by giving her kid brother a job.

Because he _wanted_ to give Sōta a job.

“Does that mean you’ll teach Sōta your mom’s secret salted caramel recipe?” Kagome had turned her luminous eyes to look into Inuyasha’s, wearing _the same grin_ that Sōta had so effectively used.

He couldn’t help it, he threw his head back in a laugh so hard that it vibrated his entire body. _Fuck_ , Kagome and Sōta had already burrowed into his heart.

“Well… he needs to get a signature from his _guardian_ first,” Inuyasha breathed between chuckles.

“I… _suppose_ I could consider it,” Kagome answered, her face finally relaxed and painted with a soft smile. “You—you really will make sure he doesn’t overdo it?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Inuyasha promised, “I promise.”

“Okay,” Kagome said, “I’ll sign the work permit.”

Inuyasha overheard a little _yes!_ coming from the top of the stairs, and shook his head. He couldn’t tell if this was the smartest or dumbest decision he’d made in a while, but… something told him that the course of his life was about to change, all because he offered Sōta Higurashi a job.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://neutronstarchild.tumblr.com/) for more information!


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